(1) Street railway or streetcar companies, or streetcar corporations, shall employ none but competent persons to operate or assist as conductors, motor operators, or grip operators upon any street railway, or streetcar line in this state.

(2) A person shall be deemed competent to operate or assist in operating cars or (dummies) usually used by street railway or streetcar companies, or corporations, only after first having served at least three days under personal instruction of a regularly employed conductor, motor operator, or grip operator on a car or dummy in actual service on the particular street railway or streetcar line for which the service of an additional person or additional persons may be required: PROVIDED, That during a strike on the streetcar lines the railway companies may employ competent persons who have not worked three days on the particular streetcar line.

(3) Any violation of this section by the president, secretary, manager, superintendent, assistant superintendent, stockholder, or other officer or employee of any company or corporation owning or operating any street railway or streetcar line or any receiver of street railway or streetcar company, or street railway or streetcar corporations appointed by any court within this state to operate such car line is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine in any amount not less than fifty dollars nor more than two hundred dollars, or imprisonment in the county jail for a term of thirty days, or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the court.

Intent—Effective date—2003 c 53: See notes following RCW 2.48.180.